Latch



mme;

4 Sheets-Sheet l iff/ LATCH Filed April 10, 1959 A. BOYNTON Sept. 14, .1943.

SePt- 14? 1943 A. BOYNTON 2,329,182

Filedv April l0, 1939 4 Shee'LS-Sheet 2 4B 'B IBQIBD 2o l Bo 5Ab sAa Fig. 22.

48o lo 48C 4Bb 4B e IBG'- -I B 45a, ALEXANDER Bom/TUN, [NVE/V701?,

e b KC V lebj 4B 45d @u 5 5Ab B1 agg 0&3@ @,@QMW

Fig. 20. Anvmvr Sept. 14, .1943. A.l YBOYNTON 2,329,182

LATCH Filed April 10, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet I5 T IOC l@.c

ALEM/mw Bam/TON, INVENMR, lisn ALM m @M ATTORNEYS Sept. 14, 1943. A. BoYNToN y 2,329,182

y LATCH Filed April 1o, 41939 4 sheets-sheet 4 |80 IOBb Fig. 55.

ALEXANDER BOYNTN INVENTUR ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 14, 1.943 e UNITEoVsTATS LATCH `Alexander Boynton, San Antonio, Tex.' f y npolioation April 1o,

trol! the accumulationfand'discharge of'air or gas under pressure. I n f A further object of thisV invention is to provide means whereby-valvesshafts, or otherfmechanical parts may be made vto resist movement tov a 1 predetermined degree, and then be made to move 'quickly bythe suddenrrelease of stored force.

Incarrying out this invention a vcoiled spring urges balls or rollers against arcuate surfaces which resistthe `movement 'of a shaft, `first in vone direction and then in the opposite direction.

VInwone forniv of .th'e invention arcuate surfaces upon theend of -a'pronged sleeve surrounding the latch shaft engage upon the latch lballs to urge them inward against opposed arcuate surfaces upon the shaft. Y

'In another form' of the invention the arcuatel surfaces upon the latch sh'aft are replaced by a sleeve having arcuate surfaces, the sleeve being slid'able upon the shaft 4iny order to shorten thev latch stroke. l' y n v v y #In another form-of the' invention rollers are substituted for balls. f

` In another form'of lthe invention opnosed arcul ate surfaces, upon two' members surrounding the shaft, urge the latch' balls outward against a ring. I yIn another-form of the invention 4the latch as,- semb'lyi's housed 'andlubricatei Y ,Y i' Means for adjusting the latch is'provided yin each .of the constructions embodying the invention.rV 5 e" The .inventicgri..l which.V may take inany more forms than lare shown to `accomplish* the, same results; consists in the particulauvcoi'istruction,` means of mounting, and assemblyf `slcowrn,by 'way of illustration in the accompanying drawi'ngs'in which: "Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectionA of a/portion of'a' latch assembly showing the latchv at one endof itsstroke. f Y L Fig. 2 is a partial longitudinal section of a Aportionof ythe latch vparts shown in-Fig. l, showing theiaioh midway of its stroke.

Fig. 3 is a partial longitudinal section ofth'e parts'sh'own in Fie. 2;showingithe laton jat oo rnpletionof'itsy stroke. I i' 1939, serial No. 267,193

lol. r14n-52"?) f rig. iis la horizontal section on the noot-4 n Figi: 1; A v

v Fig. 5 is a vertical section of shown in the assembly of Fig.A 1.

v5l Fig. 4611s a side view'of theball Figs. 1, 2, 3, 6, '7,y 8, and 9. i f

Fig. 7 isa` longitudinal section of the latch at one'end ofiitsstroke.

Fig. 81s a partial longitudinal section the latch midway of 4 its stroke.;

y Figo is a partial iongitudinai section of the l parts Vshown in Fig. 8 showing vthe latch at the completion of. its stroke.

- Fig. 10-is a :vertical section shown in the assembly of Figs. .7, 8,y and 9;

^ Fig. 11 is a view of alatch ball coinprisingfan element'of the construction.

yits stroke, being used to .replace latch balls;

Fig. 13 is, a horizontal section on the y line shown in Fig.'` 15.

Fig. 15 is avertioai sooii'ono'n the imo uri- 15,

Fig. .14." m

3 Ashown in Figs. 12 and 17.

Fig. l171s a side view of the roller rider shown in4 Figs. 12 and 16.v

` 'if Fig. l18 is a side-view ofv one ofthe rollers shown in Figs. '12and 13.

40 rollers, Fig.l 18. l l

20a-20, Fig. 19. y

,Fig.A 21 is an outsideview of therolleiy cage shown in Figs...19 and 2.0.

in the. construction of Figs. 19 and 20.

Fig. 23 is a longitudinal section' of amodilied the latch" athene form oiylatch .assembly showing end of its travel.r

of the assemblyshown in Fig. 23, showing latch midway of its stroke. i

at rcompletion Yof its stroke.y

`Paf-retirom?IgeaA` f the ballcage rider shown in a `iriodinod formof the invention shown in Fig. '1, showing of a portion of. th'e latch' parts shown in Fig. 7;' showing of `nio Slip ring vFig. 12 is a longitudinal section of a portion of a llatch assembly showing the latch'v at one end' of yFig.,14fis a bottomend'view ofthe roller cage Fig. 16 is a top end viewo the roller rider n jFig. V19 is a longitudinal section of a portion of the latch' assembly showing the latch at one end ofrits travel using rollers having semispherical ends in the placeof balls, Fig. l1, or flat ended Fig. 20is ,a' horizontal section onthe 'line ,22 isa side view of one of the rollers used Fig. 24 is a longitudinal'lsetion of a inortion the Fig. 26 is a horizontal section on"the line 26-26, Fig. 23. J

Fig. 2'7 is a vertical section of the sleeve ring shown in Figs. 23 to 26.

Fig. 28 is an end view of the part shown in Fig. 27. e

Fig. 29 is a bottom end View of the ball roof of Figs. 23, 24, and 25.

Fig. 30 is a vertical section of the4 ball roof shown in Fig. 29.

Fig. 31 is an upper end View of the ball floor shown in Fig. 32.

Fig. 32 is a vertical section of the ball hoor', o

Fig. 31.

Fig. 33 is a longitudinal section of a further modified form of latch including a lubrication chamber housing and showing the latch at one shown in Fig. 23, showing the same housed with-` in a bellows for lubrication.

Corresponding rchara'cterfs are employed throughout the 'drawings to indicate and referto corresponding parts. x

Similar but somewhat. different parts in g'ures 'illustrating modifications of 'the 'invention are designated by adding capital A in the rst modi-,- fication, capital B in the second ymodification, capital C vin the third modification, andso on,l to the number used to 'designate the similar part in the preferred forni. Different portions of the s'ane part are referred to by adding a, b, yand so on (small letters) to the number 'employed to designate the part as a whole. Minor and duplicated portions of `any part are designated by vprir'n'i'ig 'the last letter` cf reference for the Hrst duplication, double priming the: last letter f reference for the second "duplication,A and so on.

Fig. 1 shows an assembly of a latch, som-e parts being incomplete, 'but yenough of all parts being shown 'to illustrate how the device is constructed and how it works. The case l0 may kb'e of any or by attached flange as shown at IOA'a, Fig. 33,

and at Ha, Fig. 35, or by any'othe'r means. y Interiorly of the case a ball cage 4 maybe securedby threads or otherwise. A central longitudinal j opening 4d through the cage has asll'ding fltover latchshaft'. This shaft 'has an arcuate portion 6a formed by the reduced sections llib and 6b on either side thereof. yLatch rballs -l iarefir'ee tofr'oll in ball path ports 4a, but the inner termin-i' 40.5 of

these ports are v'of 'restricted'diaineter that 'the latch balls Inaynt roll Elliiallgll:ii'it 'the tr'al longitudinal opening mercedes fior shaft s during assembly or duringtims'wuenthfshattmay be withdrawn for adjustments or replacements; Here it should'be statedtha't three 'balls v"and three pronged ball riders are preferred -to a greater number 'because 'if the ball 'path ports 4d be not drilled at exactly the sarnex'level'the 'three 'point bearing afr'or'dedbjy meterte pensanti tile-three fingers will allow the bali 'rider'to ro'cgsiighuy outer aiignfnentwith shafts and therebycause each of the prongs of Aball rider "5 'to 'rest with equal force upon each of thethree latch balls. To allowsuch rocking ofthe ball riderthe central longitudinal passage Athroughf the rider, similar `to the passage 5Ac in Fig. l1 6, should'be'of somewhat larger diameter than -shaft'l which'worlis through it, andthe width of p'rorig'sashoul'd-be appreciably less than the width of slots 4b in which they stand.

In assembling, the balls l are placed within ports 4a and cage 4 is screwed in place, as shown in Fig. l, or otherwise secured over shaft 6.

'Ball rider 5 with prongs 5a made to register with slots 4b is then so placed that the curved ends 5b of the prongs 5a will rest on the latch balls. Spring 8 is then installed under 'some compression to urge the ball rider upon the balls which are thereby urged against the arcuate portion 6a of the latch shaft.

In operation if the shaft 6 be urged downward with sufficient force latch balls I will be forced outward by the arcuate portion 6a. If spring 8 is acting with proper force the latch will release 'and assume the position shown in Fig. 3, the intermediate position being shown in Fig. 2. By limiting the travel of shaft 6 in either direction it is apparent that the inward'travel of the latch balls may belimited and thereby limit the fierce with which the letchewill hold in either direction- Furthermore, increasing the compression force of spring 8 upon the ball rider 5 will increase the force required to operate the latch, and vice versa.

Passages 4e are provided thata lubricant which may berconiined Within the latch asser-nbly Lin some such manner as 'shown for -mgdied form of latch in Figs. 33 and 35 willhave passageway through bell cese-4. es the latch works..

, yIt will vbe noted that somewhat less than onehflf 0fy each Qf the latch balls ycan enter the entfel `Passage 4d through Case 4 due to the end Seten 'ef reduced diameter le' of ports @arend that in the reverse direction the yhatch ball-1s are urged inwardwith `decreasing force as they fmove outward due to the arcuate portion 5b of the ends desired length and may'b'e'anchore'd'at"either e'nd of prongs '5a. arcuate surfacesl recede fromthe perpendicular and approach the horl- Zontal in contacting the balls-as 'balls move outizv'ard- It is therefore apparent that the further the balls'rnove inward the greater -force must be exerted by the latch shaft to move them out- .Werd again because the contest peint. with each b'all' 'approaches the'horizontal 'en the @mute surface 'sa while at the same time the contact point with each ball approaches the .perpendicular on the arcuate surface 5b as the balls :nove inward,l each approach becoming A:progre,ssively incre rapid asr the inward maj/erneut progresses,

l and. Vice verse es the-bellsmove outward. it, is

further anafl'enthaft the ma?? 'Qf 'the arcuate Surface et the ends of yprongs 5a has much mido with the latch operation. .Fig. 7 lshows a latch lall respects similar to the one shown in Fig-,1 except-that slip ring 'I `has aL sliding nt over the portieri fof reduced diameter @Ab of shaft 6A. This slip ring may move rupward until' its upper extension 1a strikes shoul-v deitdQA or shaft BAlend it'lnay move downward until its, lower extension 1a" strikes shoulder SAC* o f lateh shaft 6A'. The'travelof thisf'ring uponk the portion of reduced diameter'SAbof shaft .Y @A provides `that the latch may 4be adjusted l'to work with greater snap and force 'en -short Strokes. than would be, pQSblB with lthe latch shown in Fig. 1 as w-illlappearrfrom Vthe-examtnation of Figs. 7, 8, and "9. In Fig. "I th'eflatch balls arein their n iost inward position, and again in their moet Outwerd H-nesitiorl in Fig. l9, butthe shaft travel necessary to cat lsel thesetwo positions is only a part ofthe travel that would vbe required except tor the `slip because rirrimediately after'the 'iatchbausreah thepesiuoa shown inV Fig. 8,'A as the llatch shaft' continues'l downward movement, slip ring 1 will be quickly driven to the position shownin Fig. Qbythe ac-v tionl of the" arcuate surfaces. of balls Ik and slip ring 'I. It is evident thatjthe lengt-,hof the arcuate ysurface of member: 'I could be reduced'and l madestationary upon theshaft portion'BAbjto accomplish' a somewhat jsirfnilai,v result but e. the

latch action would not be "sosensitive" andthe` l life of the latch Wouldalso 'beshortened The j comparatively large arcuate"surface of slip' ring? A.

'I and the snap action of the latch which this ring aifordsj 'on short latch strokes rconiprends this;y

construction particularly for use" in controlling valves in which speedof `Vrr1ot'en 1entforce' of Vacel tionQ-a'nd dependability are essential.

Fig. 12V showsajnother.mouiiiedform',of K whichernploysrollers, shown 'in Fig. v'18, in'plae tween members I 0C and'IIICas appearsin Fig.

ntion'rof aflatch lubricant; AThe rim 2b of the \ball roof Yandi?) of the ballifloor holds the balls between roof and'floor. When theshaft SBmoves downward the balls are forced inward by the in` ner varcuate surface 9d of ringfS. Fig. 24 showsy the latch halfwayof its travel and Fig. shows thejlatchmovement completed. .-Tneball floor 3 beingrnovable Aover the shaftrportion of reduced diameter 6B?) extension Scisprovided asa guide. Spring '8. always under some compression? has its compression regulated by nut yI5 which is locked in v'piace by nur la, bethvof said nuts having` threaded engagement with the lower end of shaft pertionv G'Bb vas appears in Fig. 2 3. This figure of balls as used in Figs. 1 and 7.' The roller `rider 5A, on its prOIlgs15Ac,h'as arcuateinner'- surfaces.

5Ab whicht'into the depressedsurfaces` IAa ,of the rollers Ia. The roller paths VlIAa, of roller cage.

4a, are rectangular to receivethe llat ended roll; ers IA which roll inwardand outwardwithkthe; enlarged ends .IAhupontheroofs/ lIA'a"" ,.of the 'roller paths 4Ad,rFig.` l5. .The `prongsf.'.5Aaaref free within `solts 4Ab.Latch shaft 6 h'asfa,frfee cageA, through which openingsfdAc are prov-L vided for'free circulation'of 'thelatcllubricant Theaction of the latch fis' much -the same as .the ones previously described but thelrollers and arcuate portion of thelatch V'shaft will be of longer life in service on account of the line Contact bea tween'l these members .instead` of the point contact Usurrounds the balls which move with the shaft:

' 12, and'l'9. thel'atching effect is produced by con-y sh'ows al means for iholdingjandadjusting spring l8 which) means may beused in'lligs.r 1,77, l2, and 19.` In this construction thel arcuate surface upon "which the latch vballs act is stationary and whereas inthe construction shown in Figs. l, 7,

k tasting the inner surfacesof the balls, which do sliding tVWithin-cen'tral openingAAd'of roller as in Figs. 1 and 75 Ait .beingy assumed thatthe radius vdescribing thearc of .IAa is the same-as the radius de'scribingthearc-of thev latch shaft Fig. 19.`sho-ws a latch like .the one in `Fig.,l2A except that rollers IB, detailed in Fig. 22,.,rollin. circular openings 4Ba `of roller cage 4B. -lhe total length of'roller IB is equal to the greatest ldiam-y eter of the opening `4Ba less only 'aworkingclearj-` ance.` 'The ends IBb,therefore,rollt and 4bearupony thesurfaces 4Be`. yA pivotv like-action is, therefore, provided for either end of rollers IBI-as theyrollin;A action, thusgreatly reducing the `friction between rollers 4IB and the roofk IB andy between the-surfaces y5Ab of the riderand the surfaces IBa ofthe nillersas therollers IBfmove inwardor outward,; it' being apparent that the lrollers 'must sliponone surface orthe 'other The pivotingactionof surfaces IBb engaging upon the surfaces lIBeA pro-f vides that rollers IB turn about their axes.' Re;l

ball roofv 2 -is held-againstshoulder SBC by the expansive force `of spring 8 urgingball floor. 3v

to impinge upon balls I. The ball roof `2 has an;l inclined surface 2a, Fig. 30, `andball iloor has a similar surface 3a ,at the sameUangle-reversely. inclined, Fig. 32. These surfacesurge the latch* balls outward to contact the arcuateA surface V9d of sleeve ring 9 integral'with'base ring 9c, detailed inFigs.v 27 and 28; Sleeve ring''is'suppoted'bef ty fr., U anothertype of latch in which fused in 33.l

noljlfrnvewithV the shaft,fupon an arcuate mem-r ber that 'moves 'with the shaft. A further diierence betwee'nthisl construction and the construction shown Figs; 1', '7; l2., and 19 isthat more than three-ba1ljs rr`1ay,(and frequently should be the constructionirshownin Figs.v 23 and Fig. 33 shows a latchsirnilar to the one in 23.., The larger arcuate memberV SA, integral with base ring :Q Acphaving atreithei` end arcuate surfaces SAdl'tolengage thel'latch'balls I, shows thatthe latclistrole may be increased by providing a straight section between the upper and lower. varcuate Vsurfaces as appears'. 'The ribs SAaha've rrn pressed-'in engagement with the case member'V IBA. Slots SAD provide forefree circ'rulationv` of the latch lubricant; The exterior threads 'upon memberA ItlA'el show means by which the rlatchliusing maybe anchored, *the latchrshaft beingfree tol move throughy packing It'andy I3 which'is compressed by caps Il and,Y

I'IM respectivelyengaged upon the tlneads of eX- ten'sions IOAq, and lIUAid respectivelyp Within the latchhous/ing formed by members Eenv and. y IGA' a lubricant maybe placed, and the housing. maybe anchored by the exterior. threads lllA'h uponextension IilAd of casesection ESlA', L p 'Figi 35 shows a bellows IIlB as soldered to connection I2v at IBa and the plate I8 at lFlBhthe plate being held aroundshaft y`613 and flange Ita` by packing lI3A lgripped by clamp Iii.' Another bellowsV IDB `is soldered to connection II at IllBdr` and tovplate l'Iiat' I Bh, the `pla-te being held around thefextension of shaftportion `6Bb and flange Ia' by packing ISA gripped by clamp I4". Threaded extensions Ilaand I2a may be y threadedly jloinedtogether to complete the house' ingk ofthe latch*y 'as appears. `Threadedextension", I la by means of its external. threads may be used'to anchor the latch assernbh7 by engag. ing with other threads not shown. The interior of this housing may beI filled with a lubricant.

^ As thelatchshaft moves in either directioneone bellows will stretch vwhile the other 'cornpresses.-` thus tofholdfthe lubricant confined \`yitlio`utk thel use of packing glandsll and Il' as in Fig. 33.

1t is to be .understoodthat all references in the specification and clarns to upper and 1ower,

upwaifd and fdownward, etc., apply to the de-` vice as illustratedfinjthe drawings wherein thev unp'eportion of the device is shown'uppermost Y sembly having end connections at opposite ends.

ing during each movement of said reciprocatory member, there being longitudinal passages through said ring to allow passage'of a lubricant n therethrough during each movement of said reciprocatory member, a ball floorv and a ball roof on said rreciprocatoryr member, said floor and roof being adapted to pass through said ring, and having outwardly diverging `Asurfaces therebetween, latch membersinterposed between said surfaces, andspring means urging said licor toward said roof to press said latch members outwardly therefrom t-o` engage an annular 'inter- Y nal protrusion of said ring.

14. A latch device for yieldably holdingl a longitudinally movable stem in either one of #two limit positions, said latch device comprising, a

bally floormember secured on said stem a ball n roof member mounted on said stern to slide to-` ward or from said floor member, spring means adapted to press said roof member toward said floor member atv all positions ofl said stem, a latch member, vmeans for holding said latch member in'a'Xed position adjacent said stem and ball-holding members, and one or more balls v adapted to be forced by said floor and roof members against said latch member and to engage one of the ends of the latterrfor 'either of said stem positions. v

15. A latch assembly comprising, a ballfloor having an inclined surface adapted tourge latch balls outward and a cupped surface adapted to limit the outward movement of'said balls, a ball member having a downwardly extending lip, y balls between said floor and roof members. and n said shaft so as tovcause-said balls to movepartially over saidrounded ends assaid shaft is reciprocated. f 'n 16. A latch assembly comprising, a ball oor having an inclined surface adapted to urge latch balls outward and a cupped surface adapted to limit the outward movement of said balls, a ball roof having aninclined surface adapted to rurge latch balls outward and acupped surface adapted to limit the outward movement of said balls, latch balls between said inclined surfaces, a shaft supporting said ball floor, a spring' urging said roof rto imping'esaid balls upon said floor, alatch sleeve around and securedimmovably relative to `said floor-androof, saidssleeve having rounded ends, and means for reciprocating said'shaft so as to'cause saidballs to engage alternately upon said rounded ends.` i v l .17.. In a latch assembly, a ball floor'having an inclined surface, a ball roofhaving an inclined surface, said surfaces confrontingand diverging outwardly, latch balls between lsaid floor and roof and engaging said inclined surfaces, a spring urging said roof upon said balls, means independent of said floor and roof for limiting the outward movement of said balls, andme'ans included in said limiting means providing for the outward movement of said balls under the influence of said inclined surfaces and spring, thereby pron viding the latching action of said assembly.v

18. In a latch of the character described, an

assembly comprising, a conical Vfloor member having an upraised peripheral lip, a conical roof retained in assembled relation by said lips, and

v means for yieldablyurging said floor and roof members toward each other. y

19.-In a latch of the character described, an

assembly comprising, 'a pair of spaced complel mental conical members, each having an inroof having an inclined surface adapted tourge`v latch balls outward and a cupped surface adapted to limit the outward movement of said balls,

latch balls between said inclined surfaces, aV

shaft supporitingsaid ball iloora spring urging said roof to impinge said balls upon said floor, a

latch housing nipple rembracing said assembly,v a latch sleeve secured within said nipple, said,`

sleeve having longitudinal circulation openings and rounded ends, and means vfor reciprocating wardly extending peripheralv lip,r balls between said members, and yieldable means for urging said members toward each other, the ballsbeing confined therebetween by said lips. i

20. In a latch assembly, a latch housingnipple, and a latch sleeve therein, saidsleeve having rounded ends providing delaying means for said y latch,. and longitudinal circulation openings to provide' circulation fora lubricant toufre'e: the action of said latch.

. v VALEXANDER BOYNTON. A 

